Insulated container assembly with thermal storage accommodation

ABSTRACT

A container assembly has a soft-sided insulated wall structure. It has an internal chamber in which to place objects, such as foodstuffs, to be kept cool or warm. There is a first closure member that opens and closes to permit objects to be place in, or removed from, the chamber. The wall structure includes one or more accommodations in which to place a warming or cooling element, such as an ice pack. The accommodations are externally accessible without opening the main chamber, and have their own closure. The outside of the accommodation may be insulated; the inside is a thin web through which to transfer heat. The container may be a collapsible foldable bag; a tote bag; back pack or a non-collapsible lunch box. The thermal storage elements may have a flat disk shape. The external access for the thermal storage elements permits them to slide sideways into place.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of portable insulated containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Insulated containers have become popular for carrying either articlesthat may best be served cool, such as beverages or salads, or warm, suchas appetizers, and so on. Often such containers are used for carryingchildren's lunches as when at school.

Soft-sided insulated containers have the advantage of being relativelylight, and so therefore relatively easily carried, and relativelyforgiving in terms of imparting damage to the objects placed withinthem. However, it may be desirable to obtain the insulative benefit of asoft-sided insulated container, in combination with a thermal storagemember, such as an ice pack or gel pack, or heating pack, as may be.Sometimes these containers may by used to carry lunches, which mayinclude a sandwich, fruit, carrot and celery sticks, a drink, cookies,and so on. However, cooling packs (as they most normally may be) tend topresent a number of convenience and use issues. The present inventorprovides a thermal storage package for use in conjunction with acontainer that may tend to address these issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the invention there is a container assembly. In oneembodiment it has a soft-sided insulated wall structure definingtherewithin a chamber in which to receive objects. The wall structurehas a first closure operable to govern access to the chamber. The wallstructure includes a first region. The first region has at least a firstaccommodation defined therein next to the chamber in which to receive atleast a first thermal storage member. The accommodation has a secondclosure. The second closure permits passage therethrough of at least thefirst thermal storage member, whereby the thermal storage member may bepositioned in the accommodation without opening the first closure memberof the chamber.

In a feature of that aspect of the invention, the container is asoft-sided insulated container. In another feature the container is acollapsible soft-sided insulated container. In a further feature, thecontainer has a wall section having an outer layer and an inner layer.The inner layer is a membrane and the outer layer includes a layer ofthermal insulation. In still another feature, the container has at leasta second accommodation, and has first and second gel-packs for fittingin the first and second accommodations, the gel packs beinginterchangeable. In still another feature, it has a gel pack for seatingin the accommodation, the gel pack having the form of a substantiallyflat panel. In another feature, the second closure includes a trackedfastener movable between open and closed positions. In still anotherfeature, the container assembly is expandable. In still another featurethe container assembly is a non-collapsible lunch box. In a furtheralternate feature, the container assembly is a tote bag or a back pack.

In another feature, the container includes at least the first thermalstorage member. The first thermal storage member has a span, a width,and a through thickness. The through-thickness is smaller than each ofthe span and the width. The thermal storage member has a heat transferinterface defined by the span and the width. The accommodation has aface against which the heat transfer interface is opposed, thereby toengage in heat transfer with the chamber. The second closure member,when open, defines an opening to accommodate a face defined by thethrough-thickness and one of the span and the width. The thermal storagemember is slidable through the opening to seat in the accommodation. Inanother feature, the container assembly includes at least the firstthermal storage member. The second closure defines a slot. The firstthermal storage member has a large face that faces the chamber. Thethermal storage member has a small face that permits the thermal storagemember to slip through the slot into the accommodation.

In another aspect of the invention there is a soft-sided insulatedcontainer having an insulated chamber therewithin. The container has atleast a first externally-accessible gel pack slot into which to seat afirst gel pack in a position to cool the chamber, external access to thegel pack slot being independent of access to the insulated chamber.

In a feature of that aspect of the invention, the container iscollapsible. In another feature, the container is a foldable bag. Inanother feature, the container has at least a second gel pack slothaving external access. In another feature, the container has at leastfirst and second gel-packs mountable within the first and second gelpack slots, and the first and second gel packs are interchangeable. Instill another feature, the insulated container has a wall structure, thewall structure including an inner layer and an outer layer, the innerlayer being a membrane, and an outer layer, the outer layer including alayer of thermal insulation. In yet another feature, the inner membraneis one of (a) transparent; and (b) translucent.

In a further feature, the container has a first, substantially flatpanel, the gel pack slot is formed in the panel, and the gel pack slothas an opening running along an edge of the panel to permit a first gelpack to be moved into the first gel pack slot in a transverse mannerrelative to the panel, whereby the gel pack slot is a side-entry gelpack slot. In another feature, the soft-sided insulated container has afront wall, a rear wall, a bottom wall, and side walls; in an emptycondition of the container the side walls fold to permit the front wallto lie next to the rear wall. In yet another feature, the containerincludes at least the first gel pack slot and a second gel pack slot.The first gel pack slot being defined in one of: (a) the front wall; (b)the rear wall, of each of the first gel pack and the second gel pack.

In another feature, the container includes at least the first gel pack.The gel pack has a span, a width, and a through thickness. Thethrough-thickness is smaller than each of the span and the width. Thegel pack has a side face defined by the span and the width. The gel packhas and end defined by (a) the through-thickness and (b) one of the spanand the width. The chamber has a wall that has an accommodation definedtherein, the externally accessible slot defining an entrance to theaccommodation. When the slot is open, the gel pack is slidable end-wisethere-through to seat in the accommodation. In another feature, thecontainer assembly includes at least the first thermal storage gel pack.The first thermal storage gel pack has a large face that, wheninstalled, faces the chamber. The first thermal storage gel pack has asmall face that permits the thermal storage member to slip through theslot.

In another aspect of the invention, there is an insulated containerassembly. It has an insulated wall structure having a chamber definedtherein in which to place objects. The container assembly has a firstclosure movable to govern access to the chamber. The insulated wallstructure has a non-planar accommodation defined therein. The non-planaraccommodation has an external access separate from the first closuremember.

In a feature of that aspect, the insulated wall structure is asoft-sided insulated wall structure. In another feature, theaccommodation is segregated from the chamber. In a further feature, thewall structure includes a heat transfer interface member defining acommon wall of the chamber and the accommodation. In still anotherfeature, the wall structure includes a layer of insulation outboard ofthe accommodation. In yet another feature, the accommodation defines anarcuate path, and the container assembly includes at least a firstthermal storage member, the thermal storage member is bendable to followthe arcuate path. In still another feature, at least the first thermalstorage member is articulated.

The features of the aspects of the invention may be mixed and matched asappropriate without need for multiplication and repetition of allpossible permutations ad combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and features of the invention may be morereadily understood with the aid of the illustrative Figures below,showing an example, or examples, embodying the various aspects andfeatures of the invention, provided by way of illustration, and inwhich:

FIG. 1a shows a perspective view from in front, to one side and above anexample of an embodiment of a collapsible soft-sided insulated containerassembly showing an externally accessible thermal storage member accessopening and a thermal storage member for placement in that opening;

FIG. 1b is a perspective view of the soft-sided insulated containerassembly of FIG. 1a in a partially full condition, with thermal storageaccess openings closed;

FIG. 1c is a perspective view of the container of FIGS. 1a and 1b in afolded or collapsed condition;

FIG. 1d is a front view of the folded container assembly of FIG. 1 c;

FIG. 1e is a left-hand side or end view of the folded container assemblyof FIG. 1 c;

FIG. 2a is an isometric view of the soft-sided insulated containerassembly of FIG. 1a in an expanded, unfolded, or filled condition;

FIG. 2b is a front view of the container assembly of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2c is a rear view of the container assembly of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2d is a top view of the container assembly of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2e is a bottom view of the container assembly of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 2f is a side view of the container assembly of FIG. 2 a;

FIG. 3a is a perspective view of the container assembly of FIG. 1a withthe thermal storage accommodations open to permit access;

FIG. 3b is a sectional view of the wall construction of the soft-sidedinsulated container assembly of FIG. 1a taken on section ‘3 b-3 b’ ofFIG. 2 b;

FIG. 3c is a view similar to FIG. 3a of an alternate embodiment ofsoft-sided insulated container to that of FIG. 3 a;

FIG. 3d is a view of an alternate embodiment of the soft-sided insulatedcontainer of FIG. 3a showing bottom and side access for coolingelements;

FIG. 4a is a perspective view of an alternate collapsible soft-sidedinsulated container assembly to that of FIG. 1a in a partially expandedposition or condition of a lunch sack that is generally triangular inside-view;

FIG. 4b is a front view of a thermal storage member for the containerassembly of FIG. 4a in the partially expanded condition;

FIG. 4c is a front view of the soft-sided insulated container assemblyof FIG. 4a in a fully expanded position or configuration;

FIG. 4d is a rear view of the container assembly of FIG. 4 c;

FIG. 4e is a top view of the container assembly of FIG. 4 c;

FIG. 4f is a side view of the container assembly of FIG. 4 c;

FIG. 5a is a perspective view of an alternative, tote-bag, configurationof soft-sided insulated container assembly to that of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 5b is a front view of the container assembly of FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 5c is a rear view of the container assembly of FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 5d is a side or end view of the container assembly of FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 5e is a bottom view of the container assembly of FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 5f is a view at the main closure of the container assembly of FIG.5 a;

FIG. 5g is an alternate side of end view of the container assembly ofFIG. 5 a;

FIG. 6a is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of soft-sidedinsulated container assembly to that of FIG. 1a in a lunch-boxconfiguration, taken from in front, to one side, and slightly above;

FIG. 6b shows the lunch box of FIG. 6a as viewed on the oppositediagonal;

FIG. 6c is a front view of the lunch box of FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 6d is a rear view of the lunch box of FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 6e is a side view of the lunch box of FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 6f is a top view of the lunch box of FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 7a is a plan view of a thermal storage element for the lunch box ofFIG. 6 a;

FIG. 7b is a long-side view of the element of FIG. 7 a;

FIG. 7c is a short-side, or end, view of the element of FIG. 7 a;

FIG. 8a is a plan view of a thermal storage element for use withinsulated container assemblies such as those of FIGS. 1a, 4a , and 5 a;

FIG. 8b is a long-side view of the element of FIG. 8 a;

FIG. 8c is a short-side, or end, view of the element of FIG. 8 a;

FIG. 9a is a plan view of an alternate thermal storage element for usewith soft-sided insulated container assemblies such as those of FIGS. 1aand 4 a;

FIG. 9b is a long-side view of the element of FIG. 9 a;

FIG. 9c is a short-side, or end, view of the element of FIG. 9 a;

FIG. 10a is a perspective view of an alternate, expandable, embodimentof lunch box to that of FIG. 6a in collapsed form;

FIG. 10b is a perspective view of the lunch box of FIG. 10a as open;

FIG. 10c is a top or front view of the lunch box of FIG. 10 a;

FIG. 10d is a bottom or rear view of the lunch box of FIG. 10 a;

FIG. 10e is a right side view of the lunch box of FIG. 10a in aretracted position;

FIG. 10f is a left side view of the lunch box of FIG. 10a in a retractedposition;

FIG. 10g is a top short end view of the lunch box of FIG. 10a in aretracted position;

FIG. 10h is a bottom short end view of the lunch box of FIG. 10 g;

FIG. 10i is a perspective view of the lunch box of FIG. 10a in expandedform;

FIG. 10j is a perspective view of an alternate, expandable, embodimentof lunch box to that of FIG. 10b in expanded form;

FIG. 10k is a right side view of the lunch box of FIG. 10e as expanded;

FIG. 10l is a left side view of the lunch box of FIG. 10f as expanded;

FIG. 10m is a top short end view of the lunch box of FIG. 10g asexpanded;

FIG. 10n is a short end view of the lunch box of FIG. 10h as expanded;

FIG. 11a is a cross-section of the retracted container assembly of FIG.10 a;

FIG. 11b is a cross-section of the expanded container assembly of FIG.10 i;

FIG. 12a is a perspective view of an alternate, expandable, embodimentof lunch box to that of FIG. 10 a;

FIG. 12b is a side view of the lunch box of FIG. 12a in a retractedposition;

FIG. 12c is a top view of the lunch box of FIG. 12a in a retractedposition;

FIG. 12d is a side view of the lunch box of FIG. 12a in an expandedcondition or position;

FIG. 12e is a bottom view of the lunch box of FIG. 12a as expanded;

FIG. 13a shows an isometric view of an insulated soft-sided containerthat is an alternate embodiment to that of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 13b is view similar to FIG. 13a showing thermal storage elements ina partially inserted condition;

FIG. 13c is an end view of the container of FIG. 13a similar to FIG. 3a;

FIG. 13d is an isometric view of the container of FIG. 13a in a foldedcondition;

FIG. 13e is a front view of the folded container of FIG. 13 d;

FIG. 13f is a side view of the folded container of FIG. 13 a;

FIG. 13g is a front view of the container of FIG. 13a in expandedcondition;

FIG. 13h is a rear view of the container of FIG. 13 g;

FIG. 13i is a top view of the container of FIG. 13 g;

FIG. 13j is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 13 g;

FIG. 13k is a side view of the container of FIG. 13 g;

FIG. 14a is an isometric view of a further alternate embodiment ofsoft-sided insulated container to that of FIG. 1a showing thermalstorage elements in a partially inserted condition;

FIG. 14b is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 14a with thermalstorage accommodations open;

FIG. 14c is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 14a showing thebottom;

FIG. 14d is a front view of the container of FIG. 14 a;

FIG. 14e is a rear view of the container of FIG. 14 a;

FIG. 14f is a top view of the container of FIG. 14 a;

FIG. 14g is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 14 a;

FIG. 14h is a left hand side view of the container of FIG. 14a , theright hand view being the same but of opposite hand;

FIG. 15a is a front side perspective view of a further alternateembodiment of soft-sided insulated container to that of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 15b is a rear side perspective view of the alternate embodiment ofFIG. 15 a;

FIG. 15c is a front side perspective view of the insulated containerassembly of FIG. 15a showing the insertion of two thermal storageelements;

FIG. 15d is a front view of the container assembly of FIG. 15 a;

FIG. 15e is a rear view of the container of FIG. 15 a;

FIG. 15f is a top view of the container of FIG. 15 a;

FIG. 15g is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 15 a;

FIG. 15h is a left hand side view of the container of FIG. 15a , theright hand side view being the same but of opposite hand;

FIG. 15i is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 15a taken onsection 15 i-15 i of FIG. 15 h;

FIG. 15j is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 15a taken onsection 15 j-15 j of FIG. 15 d;

FIG. 16a is a plan view of a bendable thermal storage element for thecontainer of FIG. 15 a;

FIG. 16b is an alternate tri-folding bendable thermal storage elementfor the container of FIG. 15a ; and

FIG. 16c is an alternate four-part folding bendable thermal storageelement for the container of FIG. 15 a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description that follows, and the embodiments described therein, areprovided by way of illustration of an example, or examples, ofparticular embodiments of the principles of the present invention. Theseexamples are provided for the purposes of explanation, and not oflimitation, of those principles and of the invention. In thedescription, like parts are marked throughout the specification and thedrawings with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings aresubstantially to scale, except where noted otherwise, such as in thoseinstances in which proportions may have been exaggerated in order moreclearly to depict certain features of the invention.

For the purposes of this description, it may be that a Cartesian frameof reference may be employed. In such a frame of reference, the long, orlargest, dimension of an object may be considered to extend in thedirection of the x-axis, the base of the article, where substantiallyplanar, may be considered to extend in an x-y plane, and the height ofthe article may be measured in the vertical, or z-direction. In othercontexts, the z-direction may be the through thickness of asubstantially planar panel where the major dimensions lie in the x- andy-directions. The largest container panels herein may be designatedarbitrarily as either the front and rear sides, or top and bottom sides,faces, or portions of the container. Similarly, the closure member, oropening is arbitrarily designated as being at the top, and the basepanel is designated as being at the bottom, as these terms may beappropriate for the customary orientation in which the objects mayusually be found, sold, or employed, notwithstanding that the objectsmay be picked up and placed on one side or another from time to time atthe user's choice. It should also be understood that, within the normalrange of temperatures to which human food and human touch is accustomed,although the term cooler, or cooler container, or cooler bag, may beused, such insulated structures may generally also be used to aid inkeeping food, beverages, or other objects either warm or hot as well ascool, cold, or frozen.

In this specification reference is made to insulated containers. Theadjective “insulated” is intended to be given its usual and normalmeaning as understood by persons skilled in the art. It is not intendedto encompass single layers, or skins, of conventional webbing materials,such as Nylon™, woven polyester, canvas, cotton, burlap, leather, paperand so on, that are not otherwise indicated as having, or being reliedupon to have, particular properties as effective thermal insulatorsother than in the context of being provided with heat transfer resistantmaterials or features beyond that of the ordinary sheet materials in andof themselves. Following from Phillips v. AWH Corp., this definitionprovided herein is intended to supplant any dictionary definition, andto prevent interpretation in the US Patent Office (or any other PatentOffice) that strays from the customary and ordinary meaning of the term“insulated”. The Applicant also explicitly excludes cellophane, waxedpaper, tin foil, paper, or other single use disposable (i.e., notintended to be re-used) materials from the definition of “washable”.

Similarly, this description may tend to distinguish various embodimentsof hard shell containers from soft-sided containers. In the jargon ofthe trade, a soft-sided cooler, or bag, or container, is one that doesnot have a substantially rigid, high density exoskeleton. A typicalexample of a container having a hard exoskeleton is one having a moldedshell, e.g., of ABS or polyethylene, or other common types of moldedplastic. Rather, a soft-sided container may tend not to be substantiallyrigid, but may rather have a skin that is flexible, or crushable, orsometimes foldable. By way of an example, which is not intended to beexhaustive, comprehensive, exclusive or limiting, a soft-sided coolermay have an outer skin, a layer of insulation, and an internal skin,both the internal and external skins being of some kind of webbing, beit a woven fabric, a nylon sheet, or some other membrane. The layer ofinsulation, which may be a sandwich of various components, is typicallya flexible or resilient layer, perhaps of a relatively soft and flexiblefoam. In some examples, a soft-sided container may still be a soft-sidedcontainer. It may include a substantially rigid liner, or may includeone or more battens (which may be of a relatively hard plastic)concealed within the soft sided wall structure more generally, or wherehard molded fittings may be used either at a container rim or lip, or toprovided a base or a mounting point for wheels, but where the outside ofthe assembly is predominantly of soft-sided panels. Once again, thiscommentary is intended to forestall the adoption by the US PatentOffice, (or any other Patent Office), of an interpretation of the term“soft-sided” that diverges from the ordinary and customary meaning ofthe term as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art in theindustry, and as used herein.

FIGS. 1a-1e, 2a-2f, and 3a illustrate a container assembly, indicatedgenerally as 20. Container assembly 20 is a soft-sided insulatedcontainer, and may be a collapsible soft-sided insulated container. Thatis, container assembly 20 may be a folding bag or sack, as indicated inthe collapsed and folded views of FIGS. 1b-1e . The bag, or containerassembly, 20, may have a wall structure indicated generally as 22. Wallstructure 22 may be a soft-sided insulated wall structure. Wallstructure 22 may include a front wall 24, a rear wall 26, a bottom wall28 a left-hand side wall 30 and a right hand side wall 32. It may alsoinclude a further wall panel or member, or extension, such as may havethe form of a closure member, or top wall, or lid 34. The front, rear,left hand and right hand side wall panels may be arranged about theperiphery of the base or bottom wall panel such that they co-operate todefine five sides of an open topped-box or chamber, that chamber beingindicated in FIG. 3b generally as 36. The entire structure may have acarrying handle, 35, which may be suitably located at an upper portionof structure 22 such as at the juncture of the lid 34 and the rear wall26. The carrying handle may have a releasable handle clip, that maypermit the handle to snap to a mating ring fitting either across the bagon the ridge of the hinge (e.g., when empty), or diagonally across lid34 (e.g., such that the handle will be above the center of the enclosurewhen full, so that the bag may tend to hang “square”).

Wall structure 22 may fold in the manner of a paper bag. That is theleft and right hand side walls 30, 32 may be bi-folding along theirvertical centerline, as at 45, to have folding portions 40, 42, whichmay be trapezoidal; and a triangular bottom fold, or folds, 44, 46. Onfolding, bottom wall 28 may fold into two halves, as at 50, 52 alongcentral fold line 55. When the bag folds, the front and rear walls movetoward each other.

It may be that in either a partially full condition, as in FIGS. 1a and1b , or fully collapsed condition, as in FIGS. 1c, 1e, and 1d , lid 34may reach over, and over-fold, the upper margin 58 of from wall 24, suchthat lid 34 lies flat against front wall 24. Front wall 24 may have areleasable securement 48, such as may have the form of a fabrichook-and-eye patch such as sold under the trade mark “Velcro”. Similarlythe inside margin of lid 34 may have a mating releasable securement suchas may be a mating hook-and-eye fastener patch 38, seen in FIG. 3a ,also such as may be “Velcro”. Releasable fasteners 48 and 38 mate tosecure lid 34 in the folded-down configuration. In the Figures such asFIGS. 1e, and 2f , other than the presence of the accommodation accessclosure member, the right hand view is the same as the left-hand viewexcept of opposite hand. The rear view of the collapsed embodiments isthe same as the rear view of FIG. 2c of the partially expanded or fullyexpanded conditions. These additional views are not shown to avoidduplication.

When the container is full, as shown in FIGS. 2a-2f , it may have agenerally rectangular or cubic, six-sided, box shape, in which thebottom, front, rear, left and right walls form five sides of anopen-topped box, and lid 34 defines a closure member that is hingedlyattached to the upper margin of rear wall 26, as at 25, and releasablysecured about the remainder of the upper lip or rim, or margin of theside 30, 32 and front 24 container walls by a releasable securement 62.Releasable securement 62 may be a tracked fastener, and may have theform of a zipper. Lid 34 is thereby releasably securable, and is movablebetween first and second positions (i.e., closed and open) to governaccess to chamber 36.

In terms of construction, front wall 24, bottom wall 28, rear wall 26and lid 34 may all be formed from a continuous strip of material, orlayers of materials, as may be described below. Left and right hand sidewalls or panels 30, 32 may then be sewn or otherwise secured to the sidemargins of the larger strip of panel components.

It may be that container assembly 20 has one or more removable thermalstorage members 60. Thermal storage members 60 may be pouches containingphase changing exothermic material, or may contain a phase changingbrine that may be frozen and function as an ice-pack. The term “icepack” is hereafter used generically either for such a pouch thatprovides cooling or heating. Cooling may be understood to be typical,and may be taken as the most common default.

In the embodiments herein, it may be that thermal storage members 60 aresubstantially flat. Although they may be in some instances bent orcurved, they may also be substantially planar, having an arc-length, orspan, or breadth, or a height L₆₀ (e.g., in the x-direction) and a spanor arc length, or depth, or width W₆₀ (e.g., in the y-direction) thatare of generally the same order of magnitude, and a through-thicknesst₆₀ (e.g., in the z-direction) that is much smaller than either thewidth or height. The dimension in the x-direction is, for example,somewhat smaller than the width W₂₀ of container assembly 20 generally,to fit the space between left and right hand side walls 30, 32. Thedimension W₆₀ in the y-direction may correspond to, and be somewhat lessthan, the front-to-back dimension of bottom wall 28. Member 60 may bethought of as a rectangular disc or wafer, or lozenge, like arectangular or square relatively thick pancake. It has a big facedefined by the x-direction and y-direction major surface, which istypically the largest face of the gel pack. It also has a small face orsmall faces defined by the through thickness and either one of thex-direction or y-direction large dimensions. The small face fits orslips, or slides, or squeezes, however it may be expressed, through theexternally accessible opening or slot in the side face of the unit. Oncethe gel pack is in the accommodation, the large face provides the largeheat transfer interface surface that contacts the inside wall membraneand provides cooling (or heating) to the objects in the chamber. Thedirection of insertion can be thought of as being cross-wise to thedirection of dominant heat transfer, the one being an end-wise motion ina direction generally lying in the plane or surface, or arc length, ofthe object, and the other being generally normal to the large face.

Although member 60 shown in FIG. 1a is not illustrated as a foldingembodiment, thermal storage member 60 may be bi-folding, e.g., as shownin the embodiment of FIGS. 9a -9 c, such as having a first thermalstorage portion 64 and a second thermal storage portion 66 joined by aflexible intermediate portion such as a living hinge 65. The hinge maynot run the full length, but may leave a portion by which gel cancommunicate between the portions. There may also be a central weld shownat the oval depression 68. Not that the thickness t₆₀ shown in FIG. 9bis exaggerated relative to the embodiment of FIG. 1a . In proportion, itwould be about half as thick as shown, and might typically be about⅜″-½″ (10-13 mm), whereas in a typical lunch bag, the bag width L₂₀might be about 8″ (20 cm) and the bag bottom panel depth, D₂₈, might beabout 6″ (15 cm).

It may be desired for container assembly 20 to have multipleaccommodations for such thermal storage members 60 as may be. It mayalso be desirable for such thermal storage members to be removable, sothat they may, for example, be placed in the freezer over-night tosolidify the cooling pack gel, or brine, as may be. They may then be putin the container the next day to keep the student's lunch cold or cool.That is, by being removable it is necessary only to put the coolingpacks, members 60, in the freezer, rather than the entire, rather morebulky, bag structure 22. It may also be that the user may wish to removeor introduce the cooling pack without necessarily opening the maincontainer, i.e., chamber 36.

To that end, wall structure 22 may have several layers as seen in FIG.3b . While FIG. 3b is of a section of front wall 24, it is intended tobe generic in respect of front, bottom, rear, and top walls. There maybe an external skin 72, a layer of thermal insulation, 74, and aninternal skin 76. External skin 72 may be a woven or other fabric skin.Thermal insulation 74 may be an open-cell or closed-cell foam. Internalskin 76 may be a PVC or other sheet, and may be opaque. It may be thatinternal skin 76 is part of an internal liner 70 of container assembly20 more generally, that internal liner being secured to the inside ofcontainer assembly 20 about the upper rim of chamber 36 more generally.Liner 70 may be a seamless liner. Internal skin 76 may be separate fromliner 70. Wall structure 22 may have an accommodation 80 definedoutwardly of skin 76. Accommodation 80 may be located inwardly ofinsulation 74. That is, accommodation 80 may be a pouch or pocket orlodging defined between insulation 74 and the internal web or skin 76.In FIG. 3b , the thickness of Skins 72, 76, and liner 70 have beendisproportionately exaggerated for the purposes of illustration and easyunderstanding. They are actually thin webs, having a thickness ofperhaps 0.1-0.25 mm or 3-10 mils. The outer skin may be a woven nyloncloth. It may be a scuff or abrasion resistant cloth and may have an 800denier or 1050 denier, or similar grade or thickness. By contrast, thethermal storage element and the insulation may each be ⅜″ (1 cm) thick(+/−).

Accommodation 80 may have an opening 82. Opening 82 may be in theexternal wall portion, or portions, of wall structure 22. Access toaccommodation 80 through opening 82 may be governed by a closure, orclosure member 84, which may be a tracked fastener, such as a zipper ormale and female mating plastic strips. Wall structure 22 may includeseveral examples of accommodation 80, such as indicated as bottom wallaccommodation 88, rear wall accommodation 86, and front wallaccommodation 90. Both rear wall accommodation 86 and front wallaccommodation 90 may be first or lower accommodations. In an alternateembodiment, as shown in FIG. 3c , a container assembly 120, which isotherwise similar to container assembly 20, may have both loweraccommodations, 86 and 90, and respective rear and front upperaccommodations 92, 94. In that instance the upper and lower pockets, orpouches, or accommodations, may be segregated from each other as by adivider, such as a welded or stitched seam, or by an internal web orpartition. An accommodation 96 may be formed in lid 34. As shown in thealternate embodiment of FIG. 3d , container assembly 20 mayalternatively, or additionally, have an accommodation, oraccommodations, 98 formed in the left and right hand side walls 30, 32above the level of the lower triangular folding portions or gussets 44,46. Such a pocket or accommodation 98 may have a generally horizontallower bound 95 such as may be defined by a seam, be it welded orstitched, or an internal web, as may be, and may have a separate accessopening, governed by a separate closure member, in this case shown aszipper 85. In an expanded position or condition, member 60, as frozen,need not be bi-folding when installed. However, if the bag is to befolded while member 60 is in place, a bi-folding member, or two separatemembers, may be used in accommodation 98 instead.

The bottom wall accommodation could also be a double accommodation, andthe various configurations may be mixed and matched as may suit. It isnot necessary that the front and back (or bottom and lid) have the samenumber of thermal member accommodations, or that every wall have anysuch accommodation. However it may be convenient for the front and backwalls to be substantially the same.

In this instance closure member 84 may be a zipper 100 that has a rootnear or at the distal or free margin 102 of lid 34. Zipper 100 may thenrun along the side margin 104 (it being arbitrary which whether the leftor right) of lid 34 and continuing on along that side margin downwardlyalong rear wall 26, forwardly along bottom wall 28, and upwardly againalong the side margin of front wall 24, terminating at, or relativelynear the top margin 58 of front wall 24. While one single zipper 100 isdescribed in respect of this embodiment, in an alternate embodiment,individual, separate zippers could instead be used for each of the lid,rear wall, bottom and front wall segments.

Like member 60, accommodation 80 may be generally flat and thin, andopening 82 and closure member 84 may be correspondingly formed as a slotor slit or high-aspect-ratio opening where the length of the slot ismore than five times, possibly much more than five times, its width,into which a correspondingly substantially flat thermal storage member60 may be introduced in a sideways, sliding motion in the directionadmitting its smallest profile cross-section, that direction beingindicated by arrow ‘A’ in FIG. 1a . That is, the width of the slotcorresponds to, or admits, the thickness, t₆₀, while the length of theslot admits one or the other of the length or width of the thermalstorage member.

By way of example, accommodation 90 of front wall 24 may, for thepurposes of description, be considered to lie in a substantially uprightor vertical plane, with the x-direction being the direction of insertioninto (or, conversely, retraction from) accommodation 90, the y-directionbeing the up-and-down direction, and the z-direction being thethrough-thickness direction of front wall 24. In this example, the largedimensions of both the pocket and the cooling pack are in the x and ydirections, and the thin direction is in the z-direction. In essence,each pocket opens along an edge, or side, at a slit that is large enoughto admit the substantially flat cooling pack when it is slid sideways(in the x-direction) through the opening (which is a slot having aheight in the y direction and a width in the through-thicknessz-direction). That is, the cooling pack enters the slot with itssmallest end or face or edge leading, and the slot is sized to receiveit. When in place, though, the largest or major face of the cooling packfaces, or fronts on, or lies against, the face of the interior skin orweb 76, and, by heat transfer through web 76, may tend to cool (or warm,as may be) objects contained within chamber 36. So, in summary, thecooling pack is installed (and removed) by sideways motion in thedirection of its smallest end face, and cooling occurs e.g., byconduction, through its largest face. Insertion of thermal storagemember 60 into any of accommodations 80 is similar to slipping an LPinto its cover sleeve, or slipping a CD-Rom or DVD into a DVD playerslot. The direction of insertion is largely perpendicular to thedirection of desired heat transfer. Expressed differently, the accessopening slot is sized to accommodate a small, side face of the thermalstorage member, while the largest face of the accommodation, and oflargest facial area of the thermal storage member, face toward theobjects to be cooled.

Since each accommodation 80 is externally accessible, there is no needto open lid 34 to install or to remove the cooling (or heating) pack.Rather, the cooling or heating pack may be inserted, or removed,independently of access to chamber 36. The installed position of member60 is indicated by the phantom outline in FIGS. 2b, 2c, 2d , and 2 e.

For example, the user may prepare a school lunch the night before, placethe lunch in chamber 36, and then place container assembly 20, withoutits cooling packs, in the refrigerator. At the same time the flat andrelatively compact cooling packs, namely thermal storage members 60, maybe placed in the freezer to solidify. The next morning, thermal storagemembers 60, (however many there may be), may be taken out of the freezerand introduced into the respective externally accessible accommodations80 to keep the contents of chamber 36 of container assembly 20, or 120,cool (or warm), without having to open the main lid 34 or otherwisedisturb the contents of chamber 36. In summary, then, container assembly20 has one or more externally accessible cooling pack accommodations.The accommodation is, or accommodations are, slots defining sidewayssliding entry-ways formed along an edge or margin of wall structure andof the accommodation. The cooling (or heating) packs insert sideways,i.e., cross-wise to the body of the bag, through the slots and into theaccommodations.

Accommodation 80, in whichever panel or wall or region of wall structure22 it may be, may lie inboard of thermal insulation 74, such that thepath of least resistance to heat transfer is toward chamber 36, or,equivalently, the path of heat transfer through the insulation hasgreater resistance than the path of heat transfer to the interior ofchamber 36. Moreover, there may be a web or skin, or fabric, or sheet108 lying on, or forming, the outside wall of accommodation 80, so as toform a smooth surface between insulation 74 and the outside wall ofaccommodation 80. It may be that sheet 108 has a reflective surface,such as a metallic or metallicised reflective surface facing towardaccommodation 80, and, when in use, toward and thermal storage member 60place in accommodation 80.

The entry of accommodation 80 is defined by 82. The far end of eachaccommodation 80 may be defined by the junction of inside skin 76 withexternal skin 72 at the opposite side margin of the container assembly,where the wall panels are joined together, typically by sewing insidethe vertical binding edge strips, as at 122, 124 on the left and righthand margins of the bag respectively. The other two sides or edges, orboundaries of accommodation 80 which run parallel, or generallyparallel, to the direction of insertion, may be defined by lines ofstitching. The lines of stitching may also define the lines of foldingof container assembly 20 as at 110 at the junction of front wall 24 withbottom wall 28; as at 112 at the junction of rear wall 26 with bottomwall 28; or at 114 the top of rear wall 26 at the transition to lid 34,effectively as a flap that folds in the manner of a fabric hinge. Theremay also be stitching or welding at a mid-level height as at 116 infront wall 24 or 118 in rear wall 26 where there is more than onethermal storage member accommodation in either or both of front wall 24and rear wall 26. There need not be as many as six or eight (if also inthe side walls) such accommodations 80, and the number of ice packs orwarming packs need not equal the number of accommodations, although itmay be convenient that they be equal. It is also possible that there maybe more than one thermal storage member in each accommodation. It is notnecessary that there be stitching penetrating all of the layers of theassembly, or that the laterally running connections be made withstitching. They could, for example, be made by being heat sealedtogether.

It is not necessary that all of accommodations 80 be the same size, orthat all thermal storage elements 60 be the same size, or the same type.Nonetheless, it may be convenient that all of the thermal storageelements be the same so that they may be interchangeable.

The folding of wall structure 22 in the paper-bag style may occur ineither of two modes. In a first mode, shown in FIG. 1e , the bottompanel is also folding, such that it folds along a transversely runningcentral fold, 55, (seen in FIG. 2e ) that folds upward and inward towardthe side walls. This may occur where bottom wall 28 does not have aninternal batten or floor stiffener; or does not have a single-slab rigidthermal storage element; or the thermal storage compartment is empty; orthe bottom compartment does have a bi-folding thermal storage element orhas two smaller thermal storage elements placed side-by-side to permitfolding on central fold 55. In the alternate embodiment of folding, suchas where there is a rigid floor batten, or there is a rigid single-piecethermal storage member that does not fold, the rear panel may fold as atcrease 54 with the bottom margin 56 of rear wall 26 folding up behindthe rest of rear wall 26. In this embodiment, bottom panel 28 more orless pivots such that half 52 of bottom wall 28 lies generally parallelto and behind the bottom margin 56 of rear wall 26.

In a further alternative, accommodation 80 may be an internal liner,such as may have a generally cylindrical form, like a tube of fabric orplastic. The tube is flattened, and one end is closed by being sewn intothe seam at the far end of the tube, as at piping or binding 124. Thenear end of the tube has one side sewn to external skin 72, and theother side sewn to internal the inside edge of at opening 82, as at theseam at piping or binding 122. The inside face of the liner may be opento breath, such as if made of netting, or may be an impermeable sheetforming a barrier to air and water. In this context, skin 76 may be theinside of the cylindrical liner, and skin 108 may be the outside. Eitheror both of skin 76 and liner 70 may be transparent or opaque. In theembodiment illustrated, skin 76 is opaque and liner 70 is transparent.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4a-4e , there is a soft-sided insulatedcontainer assembly 150 having a wall structure 152 that includes abottom wall 154, a front wall 156, a rear wall 158, and a top wall, orlid, or cover 160. Container assembly 150 may be of the same, orsubstantially the same construction as container assemblies 20 and 120,but may tend to be smaller. In this embodiment, container assembly 150may only have front wall and rear wall accommodations, 162, 164. It mayalso have a bottom wall accommodation 166, although this accommodationmay smaller than accommodations 162, 164. Access to the variousaccommodations is governed by closure member 168 which may have the sameconstruction as closure member 84, above. It may employ a single sizeflat, thin thermal storage member 170, which may be a rigid, i.e.,non-folding member, is provided to seat in the pouch or pocket of theaccommodation. Container assembly 150 may not necessarily be designed tofold flat in the manner of a paper bag. The fully expanded configurationof container assembly 150 is shown in FIGS. 4c, 4d, 4e, and 4f . Asbefore, thermal storage member 170 may be of the same construction asdescribed for thermal storage member 160, but it may be smaller, whether5″×7″ or 4″×6″, or a similar ratio, and of the same thickness as before.The actual size will depend on the size of container assembly 150 moregenerally. In an alternate version as suggested by FIGS. 8a, 8b, and 8c, member 170 may not necessarily be a folding member, and it may notnecessarily have the central welded depression 68.

FIGS. 5a-5e pertain to another embodiment of soft-sided insulatedcontainer assembly 180 that has the form of a tote bag. That is, a totebag has a base 182 that is rectangular, typically with an aspect ratioof length to depth of the order of 3:1 or lower, as seen in FIG. 5e .The top of the tote bag is of an higher aspect ratio than the base, suchthat although the periphery may be constant, or roughly constant, thebag tapers upwardly outward when seen in side view, as in the respectiveside views of front wall 184 and rear wall 186 of FIGS. 5b and 5c , yethas an inward taper when seen in the end view of FIG. 5d , such that atthe level of the closure 188 the closure member 190 has a long thinaspect ratio, as suggested by FIG. 5f . As its name implies, the totebag can be carried over the shoulder by means of handles or straps 192,194. The side walls of the tote bag may not have a distinct transitionto the end walls, where the margins of the side walls are broughttogether, on a rounded or pyramidal shape, and sewn on a common seamfrom bottom to top. Accordingly, container assembly 180 has a closure196 that is mounted roughly square with an end margin 198 of therectangular base 182, and that governs access to the thermal storageelement accommodations. The through-thickness cross-section of the wallstructure of container assembly 180 is substantially the same as that ofcontainer assembly 20 shown in FIG. 3b , and includes accommodations 80as before, although of a different size. A large thermal storage member200 slides sideways into the slot or accommodation defined within thewall structure, in the same manner as before. The tote bag may notnecessarily be designed or intended to fold. In the case where the totebag has a hard base wall, 202, it may be that an alternate access may beprovided as at 204 in FIG. 5g , so that the thermal storage member maysit on top of the hard floor panel, beneath the inside skin of the linerof the inside of the tote bag more generally. In this configuration, theexternal access opening is defined not at the edge of the panel (i.e.,at the seam) but in the body of the panel distant from the seam. Whenthe access slot is in the midst of a panel, there could beaccommodations 80 to either side of the access opening, governed by asingle closure member. The approximate position of thermal storagemember 200 as installed is suggested by the phantom outline in FIGS. 5band 5 c.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6a , there is a soft-sided insulated containerin the form of a lunch box, 220. It may not be intended to becollapsible, and, in some embodiments, may include a substantially rigidhigh density plastic internal tub or liner to prevent crushing of thelunch box. Lunch box 220 may be a generally rectangular, six-sided boxhaving a bottom or back wall 222, an upstanding peripheral wall 224 thathas a pair of long side portions 226, 228, and a pair of short side endportions 230, 232. The peripheral wall 224 and back wall 222 co-operateto define the body of a five-sided open topped box. Front wall 234defines the top, lid, or closure of the box, and is connected to themain body of the box by a fabric hinge 236 mounted to the upper marginof long side wall portion 226. A peripheral tracked closure member, suchas may have the form of zipper 238 provides releasable securement of thelid to the body of the box. The lid is movable between a closed positionand an open position to govern access to the internal chamber. In thisarrangement, while the proximal margin 240 of front wall 234 is mountedto the hinge, the distal margin 242 has an access opening governed bythermal storage access opening closure member 244, which, again, may bea zipper. Closure member 244 is movable to permit the introduction orextraction of thermal storage member 250 into the slot accommodationformed in the movable lid. Similarly, the rear or back wall 222 has aclosure member 246 that governs access to a similar accommodation in theback wall. The wall construction of lunch box 220 is, once again,substantially the same, or the same, as shown in FIG. 3b , althougheither the front wall or the rear wall may include a stiffening battenmounted with or to the insulation outside of the thermal storage memberaccommodation. Thermal storage member 250 is a substantially planar,flat member of a size corresponding to the size of the major, orlargest, walls of the container namely the front and back walls 234 and222 respectively. Again, the thermal storage member is disk-like, and isinserted sideways into the slot mounted along a margin of the containerthat admits the small, narrow, end face of member, much like an LPsliding into its cover. The major heat transfer face is then the largeface of member 250. Carrying handles 252 and 254 are provided on thefront and end faces of the lunch box. As before with containerassemblies 20, 120, 150 and 180, the thermal storage member isexternally accessible, and can be installed or removed without openingthe lunch box or disturbing its contents. Thermal storage member 250 isshown in FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c , with the relative length, depth, andthrough thickness shown as L₂₅₀, W₂₅₀, and t₂₅₀. Member 250 need not bea foldable or bendable member.

FIGS. 10a-10e, 11a, 11b, and 12a-12e show alternate embodiments of lunchboxes to that of FIG. 6a . In FIGS. 10a-10e, 11a and 11b , a soft-sidedinsulated container in the form of a lunch box 320 is substantially thesame as the lunch box of container assembly 220, except that assembly320 is expandable, as by unzipping peripheral zipper, which allows acentral section to expand. In FIGS. 12a-12e , container assembly 290 hasa peripheral zipper 292 and an expanding central section 284, and issubstantially the same as container assembly 320, except that theexpandable section of container assembly 320 is immediately next to themovable lid of front wall 332, rather than base wall 334. By contrast,in FIGS. 12a-12e , container assembly 290 has an expanding centralsection 284 that is immediately next to base wall 222, and distant fromfront wall 234. Other than this difference, and the differences inconstruction necessarily flowing from it, the description of assembly290 may be taken as being substantially the same as that of assembly320. One may note that, as with the skin thicknesses in FIG. 3b , thethicknesses of the various skins in FIGS. 11a and 11b are showndisproportionately thick for the purpose of ease of illustration andunderstanding. They are of the thicknesses of Nylon and PVC membranes orcloths, as may be.

Referring to FIGS. 10a-10e , and by way of a general overview, asoft-sided insulated container assembly is indicated generally as 320.Container assembly 320 has a body that includes a first, or main,portion, 322, and a second part or portion, 324, that co-operates withfirst portion 322. Typically, the main portion or body 322 has a wallstructure, or outer casing, 326 that defines an internal volume, orcavity, receptacle, or chamber, 328, however it may be termed, forreceiving objects such as may be desired to be kept cool or warm. Secondportion 324 may define a lid 330 that is hingedly mounted to firstportion 322, lid 330 being movable between a closed position and an openposition, thereby governing access to chamber 328. Container assembly320 may be a lunch box, such as may frequently be used by children totake their lunches to school. Such a lunch box is not typically anoverly large item like luggage for travelling abroad, but is rather asmall, hand portable item. The largest dimension (in the x-direction)may be of the order of less than one foot (30 cm), the breadth (in they-direction) may be of the order of 7 to 10 inches, and the depth in thethrough thickness (in the z-direction) may be less than the width.

Container assembly 320 may have insulated wall panels, namely a first orfront panel 332, a second or rear or bottom panel 334, and aperipherally extending sidewall, or sidewall assembly 336. Front panel332 may define lid 330. Typically, front panel 332 and rear panel 334are substantially planar and may be square or rectangular (being longerin the x-direction than the y-direction). In the closed position of lid330, front panel 332 and rear panel 334 may tend to lie in spaced-apartparallel planes.

Peripherally extending sidewall 336 extends between, and joins, frontpanel 332 and rear panel 334. Peripherally extending sidewall 336 mayhave four side wall portions such as may be identified as 338, 340, 342,and 344. These four sidewall portions may likewise be square, orrectangular, and stand away from panel 334, such that, in combination,items 332, 338, 340, 342 and 344 define five sides of an open toppedbox. Wall portions 338 and 340 may be designated as first and secondopposed “long sides”; wall portions 342, 344 may be designated as firstand second opposed “short sides”. The choice of front and rear, left andright, is arbitrary.

For the purposes of this description the second long side wall portion340 may be understood as the panel having an upper margin to which lid332 is attached, typically hingedly attached as by flexible fabric hinge346, and first long side wall portion 338 is the panel opposed to, anddistant therefrom. Lid 332 may be releasably secured to the uppermargins of wall panel portions 336, 340, 342 by a closure member 348,which may be in the nature of a tracked fastener, such as a zipper 350.

Although other embodiments can be made, container assembly 320 may havethe general form of a six-sided box. A first lifting member, in thenature of a first carrying handle 352 may be mounted to the front faceof lid 332. A second lifting member, in the nature of a second carryinghandle 354 may be mounted to the short end wall portion 344 ofperipherally extending sidewall 336, which, in the context of beingcarried by handle may be designated the “top” of container assembly 320.Handle 354 may have a releasable clasp that permits handle 354 to beattached to other objects. Typically, when container assembly 320 isbeing carried by handle 352, or rested on its back as in use, front andrear (or bottom) panels 332, 334 may lie in x-y (i.e., horizontal)planes, and may lie in x-z (i.e., vertical) planes when containerassembly 320 is carried by handle 354.

Panel portions 338, 340, 342 and 344 may be made from a single piece ofinsulated material and may be formed of a continuous web, or webs,running around the side edges, or margins, of front panel 332 and rearpanel 334, and may be fastened thereto by sewing, gluing or some othersuitable fastening means.

In alternative embodiments, outer casing 326 may have either less thanfour, or more than four, predominantly upright panels (not shown). Forexample, outer casing 326 may be configured to have one continuous paneldefining a round wall, thereby forming a right cylinder, or some othergenerally rounded shape.

Cross-sections of the structure are shown in FIGS. 11a and 11b inrespective contracted or collapsed and expanded positions. The wallstructure of rear or bottom wall or panel 334 and front or top panel 332may include an outer covering 302, a layer of thermal insulation 304,and an inner skin or covering 306. Whether there is an inner skin orcovering 306 or not, there may be an internal heat transfer barrier suchas a radiation shield 308. Radiation shield 308 may be pliable, and mayinclude a shiny, reflective material or coating. In one embodiment thatflexible shiny material may be sold under the brand name “Thermaflect”.Panels 332, 334 may have an externally accessible internal pouch,pocket, or retainer 356, which may have the form of netting or of abreathable fabric, or may be an impermeable sheet, like internal skin76. Retainer 356 defines an accommodation 80 for receiving a thermalstorage member 250. Container assembly 320 also has lifting fittings,such as D-rings 358 by which a shoulder strap may be attached such thatcontainer assembly 320 may be carried over the shoulder, or by whichcontainer assembly 320 may be attached to other objects. In addition,handle 352 may be mounted to the exterior face of lid 332 as indicated.

As illustrated in FIGS. 10e and 10k , in moving between the expanded andcontracted positions front wall panel 332 moves in linear translation inthe z-direction relative to rear panel 334. Alternatively expresses, thez-direction is the direction normal to rear panel 334, where rear panel334 and front panel 332 are both substantially planar and extend inrespective x-y planes. The difference in overall height, orthrough-thickness, of the container compartment, chamber 328, is thedifference between the overall through thickness of the unit expressedas h₂₀ in FIG. 10k, and h ₃₂₀ in FIG. 10e . The expanded thickness h₃₂₀of container assembly 320 may be in the range of 3/2 to 5/2 h₃₂₀, and inone embodiment may be roughly double h₃₂₀, +/−20%.

Peripherally extending sidewall 336 may have a first portion 360 and asecond portion 362. First portion 360 has a first margin 364 that isattached to the adjacent margin 366 of rear panel 334. First portion 360extends away from margin 366 toward front panel 332, predominantly inthe z-direction. First portion 360 may have an external skin 368, whichmay be made of a wear resistant material, such as Nylon™ and may be awoven, wear-resistant nylon fabric. First portion 360 may also have aninternal skin 370, and a layer of a thermal insulating material 372 suchas a flexible foam. First portion 360 may terminate at a second margin374, which may be an upper margin thereof distant from margin 366 ofrear panel 334.

Second portion 362 has a first margin 376 that is attached to theadjacent margin 378 of front panel 332. Second portion 362 extendsdownwardly away from margin 378 toward rear panel 334, predominantly inthe z-direction. Second portion 362 may have an external skin 380, whichmay be made of a wear resistant material, which may be Nylon™ and whichmay be a woven, wear-resistant nylon fabric. Second portion 362 may alsohave an internal skin 382, and a layer of a heat flow resistantinsulating material 384 such as a flexible foam mounted between externalskin 380 and internal skin 382. Second portion 362 may terminate at asecond margin 386, which may be a lower margin thereof distant frommargin 378 of rear front panel 332. The joining of second portion 362 tofront panel 332 may be by way of zipper 350 along three margins, and byhinge 346 along the fourth margin of front panel 332. The overallrespective lengths of first portion 360 and second portion 362 in thez-direction may not be equal. In the embodiment illustrated, firstportion 360 may be substantially longer in the z-direction than secondportion 362.

Peripherally extending sidewall 336 may include a securement 388 mountedreleasably to retain second margin 386 of second portion 362 in its mostproximate position to second margin 374 of first portion 360, as shownin FIGS. 10a-10h . Securement 388 may have the form of a trackedfastener 390 extending about the periphery of container assembly 320. Inone embodiment the tracked fastener is a zipper 392. Tracked fastener390 may include first and second mutually engaging fastener portions394, 396. Fastener portions 394, 396 may be mating halves of a zipper.It may further include an engagement and disengagement actuator, such aszipper car 398 in the embodiment illustrated.

Tracked fastener first portion 394 may be mounted to second margin 374of first portion 360, typically by being sewn thereto. Tracked fastenersecond portion 396 may be similarly mounted to second margin 386 ofsecond portion 362. Tracked fastener 390 may have a first end 400 and asecond end 402 distant therefrom. First end 400 may be designated as apermanently joined or permanently closed end. There is a transitionsection 408 commencing at first end 400, in which the zipper halvesdiverge from each other, transition section 408 ending where the zipperhalves reach margins 374 and 386 respectively. There is then a full lapof zipper around the periphery after the end of transition section 408.First end 400 may be mounted to the expandable web portion ofperipherally extending sidewall 336. When tracked fastener 390 is in theopen condition, as in FIGS. 10i-10n , the actuator, zipper car 398, isclosely adjacent to first end 400. When tracked fastener 390 is in theclosed position of FIGS. 10a-10h , zipper car 398 is closely adjacent tosecond end 402. In the embodiment shown, tracked fastener 390 has alength that exceeds the total length of the periphery of containerassembly 320 as measured around one lap, or cycle, or full turn, ofperipheral sidewall 336. Thus in the process of closing the actuator,zipper car 398, moves through more than an entire lap of containerassembly 420. When closed, tracked fastener 390 closes over itself, suchthat in the closed position first end 400 is concealed underneath, orinside of, that portion of tracked fastener 390 leading up to second end402.

Peripherally extending sidewall 336 also includes an intermediateportion, identified generally as 410. Intermediate portion 410 may be acontinuous web, which may be a continuous Nylon™ web that extends thefull distance around the periphery of container assembly 320. A firstmargin 412 of portion 410 is permanently affixed to second margin 374 offirst portion 360 of peripherally extending sidewall 336, typically bysewing. Similarly, intermediate portion 410 has a second margin 414attached permanently affixed to second margin 386 of second portion 362of peripherally extending sidewall 336. Portion 410 is flexible, suchthat it can fold or collapse from the extended, substantially straightand vertical position shown in FIG. 10b , to the folded or collapsedposition shown in FIG. 10 j.

Closed end 400 of tracked fastener 390 is mounted to intermediateportion 410 at a first location, indicated as 404, in the midst thereof.The branches of second end 402 are mounted, respectively, to margins 374and 386 as indicated at locations 406 and 408 respectively. When theactuator follows tracked fastener 390 about container assembly 320, itdraws portions 394 and 396 together, with intermediate portion 410folded inwardly thereof.

Intermediate portion 410 may also include a heat transfer barrier 420,which may include a first heat transfer resistance or obstacle orbarrier 424 which may be a layer of insulative material, such asinsulating foam layer 430; and a second heat transfer resistance orbarrier in the form of a skin, or membrane or web (which may be appliedto layer 424, or may be separate therefrom) with a radiative surfacetreatment such as may enhance its reflectivity, and hence its resistanceto radiative heat transfer, identified as a radiation shield 422. Layer430 is flexible, and can fold or collapse to permit container assembly320 to move between the expanded and collapsed positions shown. Layer430 may also be secured at the lip of the container assembly at 418, andmay at the margin of rear panel 334 as well, as indicated at 416. Thesecond wall defined by intermediate portion 410 lies inwardly of thewall defined by portion 336. Portion 410 is foldable, or collapsiblesuch that when portion 336 folds, portion 410 can also fold. Portion 410may be secured at the lip of the various sidewall portions, as indicatedat 418.

Radiation shield 422 may also define the skin of the inner wall ofcontainer assembly 320, facing inwardly into chamber 328. Containerassembly 320 may also have a further additional inner liner 432, lyinginside of thermal barrier 420, such as a folded seamless liner, whetheropaque or transparent. In the embodiment shown the radiation shield 422surface of thermal barrier 420 is made of a metalicized plastic with areflective surface, and performs both the function of a radiation shieldand of the container inner wall surface layer or skin, and liner 432 istransparent. In some embodiments liner 432 may be removable, as forwashing.

In either assembly 320 of FIGS. 10a-11b , or of assembly 290 of FIGS.12a-12e , motion from the contracted position to the expanded positionoccurs in linear translation in the z-direction normal to the rearpanel. As seen, there is a soft-sided insulated lunch box containerhaving a front wall, an opposed back wall, and a peripheral sidewallwall extending between and connecting said front wall and said backwall. The front wall, back wall and peripheral sidewall cooperativelydefine a chamber within the container. The front wall is movable in adirection substantially normal to the back wall between a first positionand a second position. The peripheral sidewall is expandable in thenormal direction to permit the front wall to move between the first andsecond positions. The container has an expansion governor. The expansiongovernor has the form of a tracked fastener that extends more than afull cycle about the peripheral sidewall. A thermal barrier is mountedinwardly of the peripheral sidewall. The thermal barrier is deformableto accommodate movement of the front wall between the first and secondpositions.

The thermal barrier may include a radiation shield. The thermal barriermay include a pliable layer of thermal insulation. The thermal barriermay include both a radiation shield and a pliable layer of thermalinsulation. The layer of thermal insulation may be located between theperipheral sidewall and the radiation shield, such that the radiationshield faces inwardly into the chamber. The tracked fastener may includea zipper. The zipper may have a first set of teeth mounted proximate tothe first side wall, and a second set of teeth mounted more distant fromthe first side wall, such as to the margin adjoining the other sidewall, and, when the zipper is zipped together, the peripheral sidewallis concealed from view by the zipper. The zipper has a first end and asecond end. The zipper car moves away from the first end and toward thesecond end as the zipper is zipped up. When the zipper is zipped up, thefirst end of the zipper is concealed from view by the closure of thezipper itself. As noted, the zipper extends over more than the fullperiphery of the peripheral side wall such that, in closing, the zippercloses over itself. The layer of thermal insulation is located betweenthe peripheral sidewall and the radiation shield, such that theradiation shield faces inwardly into the chamber.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 13a-13k , there is a soft-sided insulatedcontainer or container assembly, 440, that is substantially the same assoft-sided insulated container assembly 20, and has substantially thesame features of construction, except insofar as container, or containerassembly, 440 is a larger cooler, such as may be a “12-can” cooler asopposed to a lunch sack or lunch bag as in assembly 20. Accordingly,container assembly 440 may have different aspect ratios of height towidth or length (i.e., z-dimension to x-dimension); and a differentratio of width (or length) to depth (i.e., x-dimension to y-dimension).Typical aspect ratios and dimensions may be roughly x:z:y of 12:10:6.Thermal storage elements 60 of assembly 440 may be correspondinglylarger, too, and may also have a different aspect ratio reflecting agreater relative length for insertion into the longer internal slots ofwall structure 442. Additionally, lid 34 may include an auxiliaryretainer, such as an elastic strap 444. Handle 35 is replaced by acarrying strap or shoulder strap 446, and the end walls may include meshpockets 448. As shown in the drawings, cooler assembly 440 iscollapsible or foldable, and has retainers, or securements, in the formof straps 436 that engage mating members 434 located on rear wall panel26.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 14a-14h , there is a soft-sided insulatedcontainer assembly that has the general form of a knapsack, or rucksack,or back-pack, or pack assembly 450. It is of substantially the same wallconstruction as described above. However, it has a wall structure 452that has the form of a bag with a generally rounder-cornered form thanthe more rectangular containers described above. As with back packsgenerally, and unlike some of the embodiments described above, the majordimension of a knapsack tends to be its height, with a width that istypically ½ to ¾ of the height, and a depth in the directionperpendicular to the wearer's back that is typically ⅕ to ⅓ of theheight of the pack. There is a base or bottom wall, or bottom panel 454.An upstanding wall structure is mounted about the periphery of bottompanel 454, and includes a back panel or back wall 456 that is wornagainst the user's back, there being associated left and right handshoulder straps 458, 460 provided for this purpose. There are also leftand right hand sidewalls or panels or members 462, 464, and a main orfront panel 466, all of them being joined together at corner seams todefine wall structure 452 more generally. The upper margins of walls orpanels 456, 462, 464 and 466 define an opening 470 of the bag throughwhich to place or retrieve objects held within the main internal cavityor chamber of pack assembly 450. As described above, the internalchamber may have a liner wall, such as may be water proof. Pack assembly450 may have a closure member, or wing, or lid 468 connected at a hinge472 to the upper margin of back panel 456, with the three remainingedges of the opening, and having a main closure, namely lid 468. Lid 468is movable, and governs access to the interior of the bag. As indicated,the lid need not be flat, but could have a rearward (i.e., toward therear as the wearer is walking forward) slope.

Pack assembly 450 also has a second access member, or members, 480.Although access member 480 could have individual segments correspondingto each of the sidewalls 462, 464 and front wall 466, in the embodimentshown there is a closure member, that closure member being shown as asingle tracked fastener, such as may be in the form of a zipper 478 thattraverses sidewalls 462, 464 and front wall 466. This tracked fastenermay be spaced downwardly the main closure, i.e., zipper 474, of packassembly 450. In the embodiment shown, it is spaced about ⅕ to ¼ of theway down the wall of the bag, and runs generally parallel to the zipperof the lid. It may bear a resemblance to a fish gill, and serve asimilar purpose. That is, when open it gives access to accommodationssuch as internal slots 482, 484, 486 of the same general arrangement andconstruction as accommodations 80 in container assembly 20. However, asunderstood from the partially inserted condition of FIG. 14a , and fromthe phantom lines in FIGS. 14d and 14h , the direction of insertion isup-and-down, i.e., vertical rather than horizontal as in, for example,assemblies 20 and 440. That is, the thermal storage member 60 is stillinserted side-ways in the slot, but the direction of insertion isup-and-down, rather than cross-wise. As in each of the foregoingexamples, the slot is externally accessible, and when installed, theinsulation of the wall lies outwardly of the largest face of thermalstorage member 60. It may be noted that pack assembly need not have athermal storage element in wall 456 that bears against the back of thewearer.

Pack assembly 450 may also have a bottom wall thermal storageaccommodation, as indicated at 490, governed by a closure member such aslaterally running zipper 492. The direction of insertion in this case isfront-to-back. Finally, pack assembly 450 may include side mesh pockets494, 496, and a main wall elastic strap 498.

A further alternate container assembly 500 is shown in FIGS. 15a-15j and16a-16c . In this embodiment container assembly 500 has a wall structure502 that includes base or bottom wall or wall panel 504 and anupstanding peripheral sidewall 506 that extends upwardly from bottomwall panel 504. An internal chamber 510 is defined inside wall structure502. The assembly has top wall or top panel 508 that defines a closuremember movable to govern access to internal chamber 510. The upstandingperipheral wall of wall structure 502 generally has a front wall panel512, a rear wall panel 514, a left end portion 516 and a right endportion 518. It may be noted that end portions 516 and 518 are rounded,such that, in cross-section, the unit has an oval shape. In oneembodiment that oval shape is cylindrical. The assembly may also havelifting straps or handles 520. Wall structure 502 may be a soft-sidedinsulated wall structure, of the same general construction as describedabove. The embodiment shown is not intended to be foldable orcollapsible or expandable.

Wall structure 502 may be substantially the same as described above, inrespect of having internal pockets, or pouches, or accommodations 522,524, 526 in which to install removable thermal storage elements, shownas gel packs 530, 532. A layer of insulation 528 is mounted outboard ofaccommodations 522, 524, 526 and inside of the external covering fabric534; or, alternatively expressed, when installed, gel packs 530, 532(and such others as may be), lie inboard of insulation 528. As before,the inside liner, or wall, or membrane 540 lies between the gel packsand objects located in chamber 510. The internal liner segregates theobjects in chamber 510 from contact by the gel packs, and permits foodto be placed in chamber 510 beforehand, for assembly 510 to be kept inthe refrigerator overnight (as may be) and for the frozen gel packs tobe put in place just before setting out on an outing. As above, membrane540 may be waterproof, and may be moderately robust to resists wear. Inone embodiment, assembly 500 may include an internal partition, ordivider or divider array, shown generally as 536. In one embodimentarray 536 may include a wall of insulation 538.

As previously, access to internal thermal storage accommodations 522,524, 526 is governed by external closure members, such as slots 542, 544that are opened and closed with zippers (or other tracked fasteners orreleasable strips, as may be). While accommodations 522 and 524 arelocated at the respective opposite rounded ends of assembly 500, it maybe that accommodation 526 may be located in front wall panel 512 betweenthe straps of handles 520.

A noted, unlike the accommodations described above, accommodations 522,524 may not be substantially planar, but may instead be non-planar. Theymay be formed on a curve, or curved surface, such as to conform to thesubstantially circular end arcs of left and right hand end walls, as at546, 548.

It may also be noted that accommodations 522, 524 are remote from eachother, in that they are located at opposite ends of the enclosed area.It may be that internal partition array 536 may be movable withinchamber 510 such that the relative proportions of the spaces 550, 552between the ends to either side of wall 538 may be changed. For example,they may be equal, or ⅓:⅔, or ¾:¼. Partition array 536 may include acentral space or sub-compartment 554. Partition array 536 might also beheld in fixed position, e.g., by being sewn into position at the upperseam of liner membrane 540. Alternatively there may be an adjustablereleasable positions securement along, or just below, that seam, such asin the form of hook-and-eye mating fabric strips.

Where insulated wall 538 is used, sub-compartment spaces 550 and 552 maybe kept at different temperatures or different thermal conditions. Thatis, one may wish to keep space 550 cool, or cold, perhaps as suitablefor a bottle of white wine, or cheeses, or cold cuts, or fresh fruit. Atthe same time one may wish to keep space 552 warm, as suitable for aflask of warm soup. Sub-compartment 554 may contain bread, or crackers,such other items as may be. Alternatively, space 552 may be neitherchilled nor warmed, as may be suitable for a red wine. The arrangementof container assembly 500 permits different temperature options to beconsidered by the user. The semi-cylindrical wall form may be wellsuited to liquid containers, such as, for example, wine bottles.

Considering then gel packs 530, 532 of FIG. 15c , and FIG. 16a , thesepacks may have a primary fold, or hinge, as at the relieved mid portion,at 556. It may also be that the gel in the packs is itself in an arrayof spherical balls, or pea packs, such that even when hard frozen, theoverall assembly may retain an ability to flex and follow the contour ofaccommodation 522 or 524. Alternatively, three-segment gel packs 560 ofFIG. 16b , or four-segment gel packs 562 of FIG. 16c may be used where alarger number of segments may be desired to approximate the curvedaccommodation. In each case the hinge elements at 556 providearticulation between the segments, such that the articulated unit canbend.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 15a-15j , the soft sided insulated containerhas an internal chamber in which to place objects. It has a wallstructure that has externally accessible accommodations in which toreceive thermal storage elements. The accommodations are non-planar, anddefine a path or track into which the thermal storage members move bytranslation. The paths so defined are not straight, but rather arecurved. The thermal storage members are flexible, or bendable, to permitthem to bend to follow the path. In one form, that flexibility isprovided by employing segmented thermal storage members that can bend asthey follow the arcuate path. In the bendable thermal storage membersthe span of the element is not planar, but rather follows the arc-lengthof the path, measured across the various segments.

Various thermal storage elements 60, 170, 250, are shown in FIGS. 7a-7c,8a-8c, 9a-9c, and 16a-16c , whether folding or rigid, which may be usedin the several embodiments described above, as may be suitable. In eachcase the thermal storage element may have a welded plastic hinge foldingline, or lines, or not, as may be suitable. Typically, when the gel isnot frozen, the ice pack itself may tend to be amorphous, or floppy. Insome embodiments the outside wall of the ice pack (or warming element,as may be) may itself be made of a thicker, stiffer plastic sheet thatis substantially rigid, whatever the state of the cooling or heatingcomposition may be, so that the ice pack (or warming pack) may tend toretain its substantially planar, predominantly disk-like shape. Ofcourse, where a substantially rigid panel is used to establish thegeneral shape of the element, that rigid panel need not necessarily beplanar, but could be formed as a non-planar surface, such as, forexample, a cylindrical arc.

The features of the various embodiments may be mixed and matched as maybe appropriate without the need for further description of all possiblevariations, combinations, and permutations of those features.

The principles of the present invention are not limited to thesespecific examples which are given by way of illustration. It is possibleto make other embodiments that employ the principles of the inventionand that fall within its spirit and scope of the invention. Sincechanges in and or additions to the above-described embodiments may bemade without departing from the nature, spirit or scope of theinvention, the invention is not to be limited to those details, but onlyby the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A soft-sided insulated container comprising: a soft-sidedinsulated wall structure and at least a first thermal storage member;said soft-sided insulated wall structure having a set of insulated wallsthat includes a back wall, an upstanding peripheral wall extendingaround said back wall, and a front wall; said peripheral wall includinga left sidewall portion, a right sidewall portion, a first end sidewallportion and a second end sidewall portion; said left and right sidewallportions being opposed; said first and second end sidewall portionsbeing opposed; said back wall having four margins, and said left andright sidewall portions and said first and second end sidewall portionsbeing mounted to respective ones of said four margins of said back wall;said back wall and said left and right sidewall portions and said firstand second end sidewall portions of said peripheral wall cooperating todefine a five-sided box having an insulated internal chamber definedtherewithin in which to place objects; said front wall defining a lid ofsaid container, said lid being movable between a closed position and anopen position to govern access to said internal chamber; said first andsecond end sidewall portions and said left and right sidewall portionshaving respective margins distant from said back wall; said front wallof said soft-sided insulated container having corresponding left, right,first end and second end margins that co-operate with said respectivemargins of said left and right sidewall portions and said first andsecond end sidewall portions distant from said back wall; said rightmargin of said front wall being hingedly movable relative to said marginof said right sidewall portion of said peripheral sidewall distant fromsaid back wall; said corresponding left, first end, and second endmargins of said front wall and said margins of said left, first end andsecond end sidewall portions of said upstanding peripheral wallco-operating to define a main closure; said main closure being moredistant from said back wall than from said front wall; said right marginof said front wall being hingedly movable relative to said margin ofsaid right sidewall portion of said peripheral sidewall distant fromsaid back wall; at least a first wall of said front wall and said backwall of said set of walls of said soft-sided insulated wall structurehas an inner skin, an outer skin, and a layer of thermal insulationcaptured between said inner skin and said outer skin; at least saidfirst wall has a first thermal storage member accommodation formedtherein; said first thermal storage member accommodation is locatedbetween said respective inner skin and said respective thermalinsulation of said first wall; said first thermal storage memberaccommodation is segregated from said internal chamber by said innerskin; said first wall has a first opening formed in the outside thereofthrough which to admit said first thermal storage member into said firstaccommodation; said first opening being accessible from outside saidsoft-sided insulated container when said main closure is closed; saidfirst thermal storage member is disk-shaped and has having a length, awidth, and a through thickness, said through-thickness being smallerthan each of the span and the width; said first thermal storage memberbeing slideable sideways through said first opening into said firstaccommodation, said first opening being accessible from outside saidsoft-sided insulated container when said main closure is closed, andsaid insulated internal chamber is inaccessible; and when installed insaid first thermal storage member accommodation, said first thermalstorage member is located between said thermal insulation and said innerskin of said first wall; and said inner skin of said first wall isbetween said first thermal storage member and said internal chamber. 2.The soft-sided insulated container of claim 1 wherein said first wall issaid front wall.
 3. The soft-sided insulated container of claim 1wherein said first wall is said back wall.
 4. The soft-sided insulatedcontainer of claim 1 wherein said first wall is said front wall, andsaid back wall has a second thermal storage member accommodation formedtherein in which removably to receive a second thermal storage member.5. The soft-sided insulated container of claim 4 wherein said first andsecond thermal storage member accommodations are substantially the same,and said first and second thermal storage members are interchangeable.6. The soft-sided insulated container of claim 1 wherein said first wallis rectangular, said left sidewall portion and said right sidewallportion corresponding to opposed long sides of said rectangle, saidfirst end sidewall portion and said second end sidewall portioncorresponding to opposed short sides of said rectangular first wall; andsaid first opening of said first thermal storage member accommodationbeing a slot formed in said outside skin of said first wall, said slotrunning lengthwise adjacent to said right sidewall portion.
 7. Thesoft-sided insulated container of claim 6 wherein said first wall issaid front wall; said front wall is hingedly connected to an uppermargin of said right sidewall portion of said peripheral wall; and saidslot formed in said outer skin of said front wall runs lengthwise insaid front wall, said slot being closer to said right sidewall portionthan to said left sidewall portion.
 8. The soft-sided insulatedcontainer of claim 1 wherein said first opening is a slot having atracked fastener; said tracked fastener is longer than at least one ofsaid width and said length of said disk-shaped first thermal storagemember; said disk-shaped first thermal storage member is predominantlyflat, having a largest face defined by said length and said widththereof; and, as installed, said largest face of said disk-shaped firstthermal storage member lies flat against said inner skin of said firstwall and faces toward said insulated internal chamber of said soft-sidedinsulated container.
 9. The soft-sided insulated container of claim 1wherein said inside skin of said first wall is one of (a) transparent;and (b) translucent.
 10. The soft-sided insulated container of claim 1wherein said peripheral sidewall is collapsible.
 11. The soft sidedinsulated container of claim 1 wherein said soft-sided insulatedcontainer has a length and a width defined by the length and width ofsaid first wall, and a through thickness depth defined by the height ofsaid peripheral wall; each of said length and width of said soft-sidedinsulated container being greater than said through-thickness depththereof.
 12. The soft sided insulated container of claim 1 wherein: saidfirst wall is rectangular, having a length and a width; said leftsidewall portion and said right sidewall portion correspond to opposedlong sides of said rectangular first wall; said first end sidewallportion and said second end sidewall portion correspond to opposed shortsides of said rectangular first wall; said soft-sided insulatedcontainer has a length and a width defined by the length and width ofsaid first wall, and a through thickness depth defined by the height ofsaid peripheral wall; each of said length and width of said soft-sidedinsulated container being greater than said through-thickness depththereof; said first wall is said front wall; said front wall is hingedlyconnected to an upper margin of said right sidewall portion of saidperipheral wall; and said slot formed in said outer skin of said frontwall runs lengthwise in said front wall, said slot being closer to saidright sidewall portion than to said left sidewall portion; said backwall has a second thermal storage member accommodation formed therein inwhich removably to receive a second thermal storage member; said firstand second thermal storage member accommodations are substantially thesame, and said first and second thermal storage members areinterchangeable; said first opening of said first thermal storage memberaccommodation being a slot formed in said outside skin of said firstwall, said first opening is a slot having a tracked fastener; saidtracked fastener is longer than at least one of said width and saidlength of said disk-shaped first thermal storage member; saiddisk-shaped first thermal storage member is predominantly flat, having alargest face defined by said length and said width thereof; and, asinstalled, said largest face of said disk-shaped first thermal storagemember lies flat against said inner skin of said first wall and facestoward said insulated internal chamber of said soft-sided insulatedcontainer.
 13. A soft-sided insulated lunch box assembly, comprising: alunch box and at least a first thermal storage gel pack; said lunch boxhaving a lunch box body and a lunch box lid hingedly joined thereto;said lunch box body having a set of insulated walls that includes a backwall and an upstanding peripheral wall extending around said back wall;said lunch box lid defining a front wall of said lunch box; said lunchbox has a length and a width defined by said front wall, and a throughthickness depth defined by said peripheral wall, each of said length andwidth of said soft-sided insulated lunch box being greater than saidthrough-thickness depth thereof; said peripheral wall including a leftsidewall portion, a right sidewall portion, a first end sidewall portionand a second end sidewall portion; said left and right sidewall portionsbeing opposed; said first and second end sidewall portions beingopposed; said back wall having four margins, and said left and rightsidewall portions and said first and second end sidewall portions havingrespective corresponding lower margins joined to respective ones of saidfour margins of said back wall; said back wall and said left and rightsidewall portions and said first and second end sidewall portions ofsaid peripheral wall cooperating to define a five-sided box having aninsulated internal chamber defined therewithin in which to placeobjects; said front wall being movable between a closed position and anopen position to govern access to said insulated internal chamber; saidfirst and second end sidewall portions and said left and right sidewallportions having respective upper margins distant from said back wall;said front wall having corresponding left, right, first end and secondend margins that cooperate with said respective upper margins of saidleft and right sidewall portions and said first and second end sidewallportions distant from said back wall; said right margin of said frontwall being hingedly movable relative to said upper margin of said rightsidewall portion of said peripheral sidewall distant from said backwall; said corresponding left, first end, and second end margins of saidfront wall and said respective upper margins of said left, first end andsecond end sidewall portions of said upstanding peripheral wallco-operating to define a main closure; said main closure being moredistant from said back wall than from said front wall; at least a firstwall of said front wall and said back wall of said set of walls of saidsoft-sided insulated wall structure has an inner skin, an outer skin,and a layer of thermal insulation captured between said inner skin andsaid outer skin; at least said first wall has a first thermal storagemember accommodation formed therein; said first thermal storage memberaccommodation is located between said respective inner skin and saidlayer of thermal insulation of said first wall; said first thermalstorage member accommodation is segregated from said internal chamber bysaid inner skin; said first wall has a first opening formed in theoutside thereof through which to admit said first thermal storage memberinto said first accommodation; said first opening being accessible fromoutside said lunch box when said main closure is closed; said firstthermal storage member is disk-shaped and has a length, a width, and athrough thickness, said through-thickness being smaller than each of thespan and the width; said first thermal storage member being slideablesideways through said first opening into said first accommodation; andwhen installed in said first thermal storage member accommodation, saidfirst thermal storage member is located between said thermal insulationand said inner skin of said first wall; and said inner skin of saidfirst wall is between said first thermal storage member and saidinternal chamber.
 14. The soft-sided insulated lunch box of claim 13wherein said first wall is said front wall.
 15. The soft-sided insulatedlunch box of claim 13 wherein said first wall is said back wall.
 16. Thesoft-sided insulated lunch box of claim 13 wherein said first wall issaid front wall, and said back wall has a second thermal storage memberaccommodation formed therein in which removably to receive a secondthermal storage member.
 17. The soft-sided insulated lunch box of claim16 wherein said first and second thermal storage members areinterchangeable.
 18. The soft-sided insulated lunch box of claim 13wherein said first wall is rectangular, said left sidewall portion andsaid right sidewall portion mate with opposed long sides of saidrectangle, said first end sidewall portion and said second end sidewallportion mate with opposed short sides of said rectangular first wall;and said first opening of said first thermal storage memberaccommodation is a slot formed in said outside skin of said first wall,said slot running lengthwise in said rectangular first wall.
 19. Thesoft-sided insulated lunch box of claim 13 wherein said first wall issaid front wall; said front wall is hingedly connected to said uppermargin of said right sidewall portion of said peripheral wall; and saidfirst opening is a slot formed in said outer skin, and said slot runslengthwise in said front wall, said slot being closer to said rightsidewall portion than to said left sidewall portion.
 20. The soft-sidedinsulated lunch box of claim 13 wherein said first opening is a slothaving a tracked fastener; said tracked fastener is longer than at leastone of said width and said length of said disk-shaped first thermalstorage member; said disk-shaped first thermal storage member ispredominantly flat, having a largest face defined by said length andsaid width thereof; and, as installed, said largest face of saiddisk-shaped first thermal storage member lies flat against said innerskin of said first wall and faces toward said insulated internal chamberof said soft-sided insulated lunch box.
 21. The soft-sided insulatedlunch box of claim 13 wherein said inside skin of said first wall is oneof (a) transparent; and (b) translucent.
 22. The soft-sided insulatedlunch box of claim 13 wherein said peripheral sidewall is collapsible.23. The soft sided insulated container of claim 13 wherein: said leftsidewall portion and said right sidewall portion mate with opposed longsides of said first wall; said first end sidewall portion and saidsecond end sidewall portion mate with opposed short sides of saidrectangular first wall; said first wall is said front wall; said frontwall is hingedly connected to said upper margin of said right sidewallportion of said peripheral wall; and said slot formed in said outer skinof said front wall runs lengthwise in said front wall, said slot beingcloser to said right sidewall portion than to said left sidewallportion; said back wall has a second thermal storage memberaccommodation formed therein in which removably to receive a secondthermal storage member; said first and second thermal storage memberaccommodations are substantially the same, and said first and secondthermal storage members are interchangeable; said first opening of saidfirst thermal storage member accommodation is a slot formed in saidoutside skin of said first wall; said first opening has a slot having atracked fastener; said tracked fastener is longer than at least one ofsaid width and said length of said disk-shaped first thermal storagemember; said disk-shaped first thermal storage member is predominantlyflat, having a largest face defined by said length and said widththereof; and, as installed, said largest face of said disk-shaped firstthermal storage member lies flat against said inner skin of said firstwall and faces toward said insulated internal chamber of said soft-sidedinsulated container.
 24. A soft-sided insulated lunch box assemblycomprising: a lunch box and at least a first thermal storage gel pack;said lunch box having a lunch box body and a lunch box lid; said lunchbox body having an internal chamber in which to receive objects; saidlunch box body having a main opening; said lunch box lid mating withsaid lunch box body and co-operating therewith to define a main closure;said lunch box lid being hingedly mounted to said lunch box body andbeing movable between a closed position and an open position of saidmain closure governing access to said chamber through said main opening;said lunch box body has a back wall and a peripheral sidewall joined toand extending away from said back wall; said back wall being four-sidedand having an outside skin, an inside skin, and a layer of insulationcaptured between said outside skin and said inside skin; said peripheralsidewall having first, second, third and fourth sidewall portionsjoining, and extending away from corresponding first, second, third andfourth edge portions of said back wall; said backwall and saidperipheral sidewall forming a five-sided open-topped box; saidopen-topped box having a with and a length defined by said back wall,and a through-thickness depth defined by said peripheral sidewall; saidlid having an outside skin, an inside skin, and a layer of insulationcaptured between said outside skin and said inside skin thereof; atleast one of said back wall and said lid having a first thermal storageelement accommodation formed therein between the layer of insulation andthe inside skin; said respective inside skin segregating said firstthermal storage accommodation from said internal chamber of said lunchbox assembly; said first thermal storage element accommodation having anaccess opening; said access opening of said first thermal storage memberaccommodation being a first slot; said first thermal storage gel pack isa disk-shaped thermal storage member having a length, a width, and athrough thickness, said through-thickness being smaller than each of thelength and the width; said slot being sized to admit said disk-shapedgel pack end-on, said gel pack then being slidable sideways into saidfirst thermal storage member accommodation; and said gel pack beingremovably sideways-slideable through said first slot into said firstthermal storage member accommodation independently of whether said mainclosure is open.
 25. The soft-sided insulated lunch box assembly ofclaim 24 wherein said first thermal storage member accommodation isformed in said lid of said lunch box assembly.
 26. The soft-sidedinsulated lunch box assembly of claim 24 wherein said first thermalstorage member accommodation is formed in said back wall of said lunchbox assembly.
 27. The soft-sided insulated lunch box assembly of claim24 wherein said first thermal storage member accommodation chamber isformed in said lid of said lunch box assembly; there is a second thermalstorage member accommodation formed in said back wall of said lunch boxassembly; and said assembly includes a second thermal storage membersideways slidingly removably positioned in said second accommodation.